


Let Us Never Sleep

by SilentBird



Category: Gintama
Genre: Gen, Non-Graphic Torture, Past Torture, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, aged-down characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2020-12-28 18:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21141032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentBird/pseuds/SilentBird
Summary: Gintoki meets the kids early. He really doesn't have the energy for this. Where's a parfait when you need one?





	1. Every story has a beginning. Gintoki just knew he should have stayed in bed.

It starts out as a simple job for some rich, rather nice, amanto man. The client looks mostly human with a long black braid and tan skin. He's a slender man, a bit shorter than Gintoki, and probably a good decade older. But seeing as Gintoki himself is only 22, that makes sense, considering the guy's request. The man has dark blue snake eyes, and pale yellow scales on his forearms, proving him to be a non-human, not that it bothers Gintoki.

Kagura, a red-headed ten year old from the Yato clan, dressed in red Chinese-styled clothing, stands beside Gintoki trying her best to not fidget. She still ends up twirling her purple umbrella around looking rather excited to be on a job. Shinpachi, a 12 year old human boy, dressed in blue and white samurai clothes, stands on his other side. There's a serious look on his face, but he's just as excited to be allowed to come along.

"Thank you for coming. My name is Skanda. I hear you do good work. If you're willing to agree, I have a job for you." Skanda says, after inviting them in and leading Gintoki and his two kids to a living room.

"Depends on what it is," Gintoki replied running a hand through his white curly hair. He took almost any job, pretty much as long as it stopped short of kidnapping or terrorism or, well, if he just plain didn't like the _sound_ of it. And he only took the kids on the jobs if it was safe enough, no need getting the Yato girl or the samurai kid killed. Even if they _did_ want to be employed by him, which was dangerous in itself, he wasn't going to put them in even more danger by doing his usual jobs with them along.

"Oh, it's nothing _too_ bad, I think. It's just that... my niece, Rika, hasn't been home for a few days. I'm looking after her you see. She's about your boy's age and height, " Skanda hands them a picture of a girl that look very like him, except with bright blue scales instead of yellow. "My sister's coming to pick her up in the next week or so and I _am_ getting a little worried. Could you find her for me?"

"You're not caught up in anything shady are you? No reason for someone to kidnap her?" Gintoki asks, squinty eyed. He honestly doesn't mind if there is, it's not like he has much room to talk, but he needs to know if he can bring his own kids along with him to look. And where exactly to start looking.

"Oh _gods_ no, I own a merchant company, and we've done good business. We _have_ had few problems with pirates in the past, but I rather doubt they'd be especially interested in coming to Earth for revenge or anything." Skanda seems to be telling the truth, Gintoki decides, when all he does is calmly stare at him. Gintoki can see that he's worried for his niece though, so he thinks it will probably be fine to take the job.

"Alright," Gintoki relents, "we'll see if we can find your kid."

"Oh,_ thank you_!" Skanda exclaims jumping up. "Let me know if you can. If not I'll have to get the police involved, and they'll definitely call my sister. I want my niece back before I have to tell her I _lost_ her kid. She'll _never_ let me live it down as it is, not being able to look after one kid for a few weeks. I don't know _how_ she does it." He says with a shake of his head.

Gintoki nods, shakes his hand, and then leaves Skanda to pace a hole in his floors waiting.

"Right, then!" Gintoki exclaims with a clap of his hands once they're outside. He looks to his own two kids, "Where do you want to start?" And that is how it begins.

Several days later they _do_ find the girl. Or rather, they stumble into a rather alarming situation. And _really_, Gintoki thinks crossly, he _should_ have seen the signs for this. A trafficking ring. _Great_, _just great_.

They had, after some digging, thought the Amanto girl they were looking for had just got kidnapped for ransom by some local gang because of her rich family. A situation which Gintoki's kids could handle easily. So, they sneak into the warehouse in the train yard. Only to find rows and rows of cages with people, both human and amanto being kept there.To make matters _worse_ the kids are with him when they get spotted by the guards. A passing guard catches them staring dumbfounded at the cages, and almost sends out an alarm before Gintoki knocks him out with a swift jab to the throat with his bokken.

Kagura turns to Gintoki with a fierce determination in her eyes. Before she can even open her mouth Gintoki is already caving, saying, "alright,_ alright_. Jeez, don't give me that look. We have to make this fast though, if you want to get everyone out." Both Kagura and Shinpachi light up and Kagura proceeds to rip the doors right off the hinges, while Gintoki slashes apart bars and Shinpachi directs people out without being spotted. It's not quiet, and Gintoki hopes they're working fast enough to leave _before_ back up arrives.

They find the girl, Rika, while they're going. Gintoki tells her to get back to her Uncle and she nods before follow the other escapees out. It's as the last of the prisoners are getting out of the warehouse, about twenty minutes after they first arrived, that the gang or whoever they are - space pirates by the looks of them- comes in. Only to find their business being disrupted. _So close_, Gintoki thinks ruefully.

They get caught. The fight goes well at first, but the kids are still too inexperienced to take on people of this level. Shinpachi goes down first, a large lizard-amanto pinning him to the ground. Kagura takes longer, but eventually goes down to a rhino-amanto - nasty to deal with, their thick hide absorbed damage and they were strong enough to shatter a human's bones with a ingle punch. Kagura gets knocked out cold, but it takes two solid hits.

"_Oi_, give up or we'll kill 'em!" one the higher ups snarls over the sound of Gintoki knocking out his people. Gintoki glances around, but both of them are too far from him and too far apart from each other for Gintoki to be able to do _anything_ without getting them both killed. He throws his sword down blade first into the concrete floor. It sinks in a good three inches into the solid concrete causing several of the weaker members to scurrying back. His word is made of wood so... fair enough.

"Well, don't just_ stand there_! Get some chains on him!" The head amanto snarls, before turning towards the back of the warehouse and walking off. Coward, Gintoki thinks nastily. He eyes the ones left but can't think of a way out this. "And get all of them on the train! We're meeting up with the air cargo ship at the other base." The boss calls over his shoulder.

A braver member steps forward and locks a pair of shackles around Gintoki's unresisting wrists, then tugs him along to the train. Shinpachi and Kagura are being dragged along behind them. Shinpachi's still conscious a they take him away. He looks over to Gintoki and sees the grim set to his mouth. He hopes everything will turn out okay, he really wants someone to step in and help them, but knows it's unlikely. We'll be okay, he thinks, Gintoki will think of something. It might just... take some time. They'll be fine. He hangs onto that belief, even as Gintoki's led out of his sight. They'll be _fine_.

Some of the members look like they want to say something as Gintoki passes, but back off at the glare Gintoki levels at them suddenly deciding they have something better to be doing. Somewhere _far away_ from the white haired man.

Gintoki's shoved in the direction of a separate train car than his kids, who are led to a car farther down, closer to the back. Shinpachi yells and twists in the grip of the lizard-amanto, but he doesn't get anywhere with that, and Kagura's been tied up even though she isn't moving, still out cold. He's glad the girl doesn't have to watch him being taken away; from what Gintoki's figured she's watched enough people leave her.

They force him up into the car and he forces _himself _ to cooperate even though he wants nothing more than to gut all of them. They push him toward the front of the cargo car, before stopping him about six feet from the wall and make him turn around. His arms are yanked up and shackled above his head. He can just barley stand flat footed on the ground when they get through chaining him up. He wonders if Rika got back to her uncle safely, it would be nice if they actually got paid for this job when they got out of this. He'd buy the kids a treat, and they'd take the week off. It'll be nice. Maybe have a get together with the few acquaintances he had.

The amanto grumble and walk off. A few stay in the car while a couple climb up a ladder to the roof, and another slides the side door closed with a bang. He wishes he could reach his lock picks in his boots, but he won't be able to with their kidnappers still in with him. The car jerks and he sways with the motion as the train starts running.


	2. Protagonist always get a rescue. Sometimes it just takes a while

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yorozuya has finished their job and rescued the girl! Unfortunately, they got caught while doing so.
> 
> Warning, non-graphic depiction of torture near beginning of chapter.

A few minutes later the lead amanto drops down from the hatch in the roof and looks Gintoki up and down. "You know, you look awfully familiar," he says, voice low and guttural. Gintoki's heart immediately jumps into his throat. "In fact, I think I remember seeing you during the war, I remember those eyes, but I can't quite remember where..." he trails off. Gintoki hopes to the heavens that whenever this guy had seen him that Gintoki had been covered in enough dirt and blood to hide his hair colour. It helps that a lot of people don't really know what he had looked like during the war - after all most of his enemies were either too far away, or dead - just that he always dressed in white and had white hair. His white hair doesn't usually get connected to the Shiroyasha though, funnily enough.

"No matter, I definitely saw you around those joui four and they all disappeared after the war, so you're going to tell me everything you know about them, information like that sells good. And you're going to tell me why you were messing with my business and who you're working for," Gintoki feels a lead weight drop into his stomach. This won't end well. Though this guy must be dumber than a rock not to know who he was - maybe he was colour-blind? - if he had gotten close enough to recognise his eyes. Gintoki stays quiet, face blank.

"So," the leader says, picking up a metal pipe from the crate at the other end of the car by his fellows, "are you going to cough up what I want to know, or are we going to have to beat it out of you?" Such a classic villain line, he thinks.

Gintoki says nothing and forces his body to relax. He lets apathy seep into his very being. Gintoki's eyes dull even as he stares at the guy in front of him until he looks almost bored.

"Fine then. This way is always more fun anyways," the boss says, and with that comment he pulls back his arm and swings the rod toward his ribs.

\---

Hours later Gintoki continues to remain as quite as possible and the amanto are starting to get frustrated that the only thing they get from him are grunts, gasps, or the occasional whine. They've switched off and tried different things. Beating, cutting, burning, even shoved his head under water for a while, which wasn't fun at all and gave him flashbacks to both the time he got thrown in a lake they had been fighting nearby in winter and had to be saved by Takasugi when a water based amanto had dragged him under the ice, and the time he had been captured after the war and they tried to get these same answers from the Shiroyasha.

It takes a while longer before they finally pull a scream from his lips when they fracture his left shin bone. He's kinda dizzy from blood loss and exhaustion. Before this he hadn't been sleeping much lately, old memories keeping him up. The continuous questions are annoying too. They ask about Katsura, Takasugi and Sakamoto. They even ask about the Shiroyasha a few times, but all he did was laugh at those ones. They ask about what he was doing in the warehouse and who he works for.

He doesn't answer any of the questions.

Maybe someone will go looking for them and find his bokken and realize something's wrong. Maybe someone will actually find them. He hopes so, he doesn't want to know what they'll do with his kids. And they are his, no matter how much he denies it.

They inject something into him from a glass vial. The liquid is a sickly looking green colour and it burns through his veins. He screams then too and he hopes the kids can't hear him. Hopes the train is loud enough to drown him out, or that they're too far away. He hopes whatever it is they gave him won't kill him. He still has the kids to look after.

They don't let him pass out at all, and he's pretty sure he's dehydrated by now, his mouth is dry as dust. They keep going, keep asking questions, Gintoki isn't all that aware of what's going on around himself anymore.

\----

It's been a day and half since they've been taken and they're probably outside the city somewhere by now. Gintoki is exhausted and honestly not doing too good. The burning drug had finally worn off though, so it doesn't feel like his insides have been set on fire anymore. They haven't given him a break since they started, but at least they haven't thought to touch the kids. He probably wouldn't be able to take that.

The car suddenly jerks, and Gintoki is thrown against the chains holding him, thankfully he's just far enough from the walls that he isn't thrown against them, but his shattered leg is jarred badly making him cry out as he hangs limply by his wrists.

The amanto leave the car through the roof to see why the train stops, leaving only two with him. He closes his eyes and tries to even out his breathing. He wants to sleep but he has to get the kids first. The thoughts are lazy and sluggish, weaving in and out of focus.

He hears two people drop into the car with them, followed by a short scuffle. The sound of steel cutting through flesh is loud in his ears. He keeps his eyes closed, wonders who exactly the new people are. Rivals, enemies, allies?

He hears footsteps come towards him, but he remains limp in his chains with his eyes closed. The voices don't really register, and the words might as well be in a foreign language, he can't even separate the words in his current state.

He feels hands brush against the cuffs on his wrist and a warm body right in front of him. There's a click and one of his arms drop to his side, it makes him whine with the pain as his weight drops onto a single wrist. He hears a sharp angry voice before a different softer one says something. There's the sound of metal sliding on metal as the car door is forced open. Another click sounds as the other wrist is released and the person in front of him tries to keep ahold of him, so he doesn't drop to the ground.

While the guy tries to do that Gintoki ducks low and lunges, drawing the other's sword before his eyes are even half open. It's the uniform that makes him pause. Black and gold and vaguely familiar in a way that doesn't scream enemy.

It's enough. Barely, but enough. He pulls his punch so to speak. Gintoki pulls back, redirects the strength of the hit, twists his arm so he slams the hilt into the guy's cheek instead of slicing his skull open. He'll probably wake with a concussion, but at least he'll wake up again. Gintoki trips up the guy's partner, before stumbling out of the train car. He manages to catch himself on his stolen sword, so he doesn't faceplant on the ground, his shattered leg protests the weight being placed on it. Gintoki ignores it.

His vision swims as he rotates on the heel of his good leg, tries to figure out where he is, and why there's so much yelling and activity. His ears are ringing, and not just from the sound of metal on metal as people clash around him. He has no clue what anyone around him is saying. He ignores the people and shakes his head hoping to get his ears working again, it ends up just making him dizzy.

Gintoki ducks away as hands try to grab him. What was he doing? Oh, right, kids.

He draws a deep breath that has his snapped ribs setting themselves on fire, then yells as loud as his damaged vocal cords will currently allow, "KAGURA!!!"

It has people backing away from him as he twitches and swings around, yelling her name again. Gintoki's eyes slide closed as his vision swims. She needs to answer, and even if she doesn't Shinpachi will, hopefully they're being kept together. He yells again.

Third times the charm it seems, as a bang resounds from a train car a few cars down from where he was being kept. He wonders briefly if they had been able to hear him screaming from there while the train was running but puts the thought aside for later and makes his way to the car. Several people scramble away from it as another bang resounds, the crash from the inside enough to sway the train.

Someone tries to stop him, but he just twists, slamming a foot into the man's chest, launching him away. He throws himself forward bringing the sword around to slice into the metal car, it throws up sparks as he swiftly cuts through the metal wall.

There's a bang, and he ducks as metal flies overhead and a red blur shoots forward, followed closely by a white and blue one. "Gin-chan/-san!" they shout, half sobbing. Gintoki holds the sword to the side as Kagura and Shinpachi slam into him with a shout. All three of them go sprawling across the ground. The kids are babbling, and he has no clue what they're saying, so he just pulls them close and murmurs reassurances to the 10 and 12 year olds.

Gintoki's mind is still foggy though, exhaustion, blood loss, and pain dragging at his whole body. That doesn't mean he doesn't catch the movement, a bit too close and a presence that's not at all familiar. He twists, the kids pushed behind him and his sword swings through the air towards someone's neck.

"DANNA STOP!" the voice rings through the air, something like panic flavours it. It's familiar though. The sword halts, wind from the swing kicking up dust, metal resting against the neck of the uniformed man. A uniform he suddenly recognizes again. Blood slides down from the shallow cut from Gintoki's stolen sword.

\----

Kondo watches with something like horror on his face as Yamazaki almost gets his head cut off by the white-haired man covered in blood. Toshiro isn't much better. Neither would have been able to get there in time. Not even Sougo, who's closer to Yamazaki than they are, would have been able to.

The way Sougo sounded right now was something awful to listen to though. The panicked shout was bad, because Sougo doesn't usually yell. He's usually calm and in control, despite certain tendencies towards bloodlust and sadism. The softer voice he switches to is worse though.

"Danna?" it comes out small in a way that Sougo shouldn't sound. Not the kid with bloodlust in his eyes and a sadistic streak that freaks the squads out. The only times he's sounded like this was when someone important to him had a close call. Like when his sister got really sick one summer and they hadn't been sure if she would make it.

Some of the Shinsengumi circled closer, the ones that had finished up their own fights, but they stay clear enough to let Sougo deal with it. They were tense and cast wary looks at the white haired samurai that had one of their own at sword point. Kondo starts to head over to make sure everything would be fine.

"Oi, danna, you can let him go, it's okay. Your kids are safe, everything’s fine," Sougo keeps his voice soft and inches toward the man slowly, keeping his hands well away from his sword. This wasn't someone he could beat. His worry ratchets up when his friend doesn't respond. "Danna?"

Kondo watches as Sougo tries to coax the man into lowering his sword. The name he's using sounds strange from the kid, he didn't think he'd ever hear him call someone boss. He seemed to know him, but didn't draw his own sword, Kondo wonders why, but pushes the thought aside. He shakes his head at Toshiro who was gripping his own sword tightly. No sense making the situation possibly worse. The two kids with the man weren't doing much of anything. They seemed to be trusting Sougo to talk their companion down too. While they didn't move from the spot that the man had moved them to, they /did/ cast wary looks toward everyone else.

"Danna?" the slight change in tone brought Kondo's attention back to Sougo.

The man in white squints at Sougo, confusion spreading across his face, he shakes his head sharply and sways on the spot. It has Kondo almost forgetting how to breath, but the sword remains still, not moving even a fraction of a centimeter. That was rather impressive, and very relieving that it doesn't cut Yamazaki any further.

\----

"O-... Okita-kun?" Gintoki asked. He wasn't quite sure where he was right now, old memories just a bit to close to the surface.

"The sword, danna," the kid sounded kinda funny, almost nervous in a way, but not quite. It was enough to remind him of the immediate situation though. He carefully withdraws the sword resting against the guy's neck and drops his arm back to his side. The guy goes to take a step back and trips over his feet, it has Gintoki wincing.

Okita motions for Yamazaki to remain where he is. He isn't sure why danna was here, but it couldn't be for anything good, not when he was covered in so many wounds and considering this was a raid and danna was covered in blood, with dark circles under his dead eyes... He looked worse than the first time they had met, which hadn't been a very nice occasion either.

"Are you alright now, danna?" Okita's voice was thankfully mostly back to normal, he didn't want to spook the man after all. Usually nothing could get to the guy, but well...

"Think I... need to sit down... " Gintoki's vision cuts out again, and he feels the kids grab him so he doesn't crash to the ground, and Okita helps them get him laying on the ground, carefully removing the sword from his hand. His vision clears to Kagura and Shinpachi sitting on one side and Okita kneeling on the other. Okita's looking back and speaking to someone.

The guy Okita stopped him from beheading is crouched beside him eyes scanning over Gintoki's body. The guy looks familiar and Gintoki tries to recall why he'd know him. He reaches up with a shaky hand to rub at his eyes, but it’s caught by Shinpachi and lowered back to his side. He whines but doesn't pull his hand away.

His eyes drifts to the blood drying on the older raven's neck. A memory of Zenzo, his ninja friend drifts through his mind, and oh, he thinks, this is Yamazaki. The baby ninja that Zenzo has been keeping an eye on. That would have been bad, killing off his friend's... whatever, future student? He was pretty sure the guy had taught him some stuff... so part time student maybe? He should... probably apologize for almost killing him.

Sound suddenly cuts back in, and he hears Yamazaki asking the kids some questions. They had cut most of his top away now, but he ignored it as they put pressure on wounds and hands ran over his ribs, trying to see how badly damaged they were.

His eyes drift closed. Gintoki dozes lightly as hands prod at him, providing first aid. Gintoki's content to just lay there in a haze until someone brushes their fingers against the bruises on his neck. It startles him badly. His hand shoots up and wraps tight around the wrist of whoever's touching him, and his eyes shoot open. He almost jerks up, but Kagura has her hands on his shoulders and the 10 year old has never lacked in physical strength, keeping him down easily enough.

Gintoki settles down, and mumbles a vague apology letting go the man's wrist.

"Sorry, Kondo-san, I forgot to warn you. Gintoki doesn't like people touching his neck," Shinpachi says. There's something approaching a warning in his voice though and Gintoki can't really figure out why.

"Ah, no need to apologize," the man - Kondo - replies. That name is vaguely familiar too - but aw-well, he'd figure it out later. Gin focuses on the man; he looks older them himself with brown hair and facial hair. He vaguely reminds him of a gorilla. "Ah, are you awake now?" Kondo asks looking at Gintoki's open, mostly focused, eyes.

"'m up. Waz it you want," Gintoki's voice slurs as he forces the words out. The world's kinda blurry still, but his mind feels a bit sharper now.

"We're going to be taking you to the hospital soon. You need to try to stay awake," Yamazaki cuts in. He's the one that did most of the first aid, "also I need you try to drink something, you up for it?"

Gintoki blinks before jerking his head in a nod. Kondo, the kids (including Okita), and Yamazaki help tug him into an up right position. After a few minutes of difficulty, they maneuver him so he's leaning sideways against Kondo's chest, so Yamazaki can work on his back a bit easier. He doesn't even bother to be embarrassed, having been in this position several times during the war.

Gintoki doesn't manage to drink much water before the coughing starts up. It had stopped a few hours after his abductors tried to drown him, but it seems to come back with a vengeance now. He doubles over and someone's talking again, he doesn't listen, trying to get air into his lungs. Panic courses through his veins at the tightness in his chest that has everything to do with the lack of oxygen.

Yamazaki slaps a hand hard against Gintoki's back and sits directly in front of him while Kondo holds the white-haired male up. It takes a while, but Yamazaki counts to ten aloud, slow and steady while pressing Gintoki's hand to his own chest and breathing steadily. It gives Gintoki enough to focus on that his breathing evens out again. It sounds raspy and now that he's paying attention - it sounds kind of wet.

Gintoki slumps against Kondo with his eyes closed, shivers rake his frame as he focuses on breathing while Yamazaki finishes wrapping him with bandages. He's bandaged up by the time all of the people who had held him and the kids captive are rounded up and the investigation is going on.

"Alright, we can move him now," Yamazaki says. He and Kondo haul him up right and they start making their way to a squad car. Kagura and Shinpachi follow quickly behind along with Okita.

"Are we going to be arrested?" Shinpachi asks quietly. It startles the Shinsengumi members. They stare at the boy who gives them an even look back. Kagura tilts her head, and Okita shifts a blank stare to Kondo.

"No, we're going to have to ask you some questions though. It that alright?" Kondo says cautiously.

Shinpachi nods with a very serious look on his young face. "Okay, but Gin-san has to be with us. Gin-san says kids are allowed a guardian in the room if they want," his voice has a stubborn streak to it, practically daring them to disagree.

"Okay, we have to ask him some questions too anyway." Kondo agrees amiably, amused at the kids.

"Gin-chan's going to be okay now, right?" Kagura asks on the verge of tears. Gin had never been so hurt while she had known him. He'd get injured sometimes and exhausted, but never to this extent.

"I'm sure he'll be just fine," Kondo replies while helping Yamazaki maneuver Gintoki into the front passenger seat. The kids and Okita pile in the back and Yamazaki takes the drivers seat. "I'll be around once I finish up here," Kondo says before closing the door and stepping back.

Yamazaki nods and drives off toward the hospital.


	3. Old Friends Should Always Meet-Up,  Perhaps Some Warning Would Be Nice Though

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gintoki and Co at the Hospital. An old friend comes for a visit.

By the time they arrive at the hospital Gintoki has mostly drifted back to sleep. The hospital staff loads him onto a stretcher, and Yamazaki gives a quick warning in case Gintoki startles badly, again. The staff just nods, having had patients like that before, especially with the samurai remnants in town.

Okita prods the other two kids into letting the hospital staff handle danna for now, then leads them to a bench near the room where they took Gintoki. They fidget while Yamazaki calls a nurse to have them looked over. The kids end up being relatively unharmed, little more than bruises and some dehydration. Kagura has a cut and bump on her head though, which the nurse gently wraps. she then hands them both some water bottles and, playfully-stern, tells them it's their job to drink it over the next hour. She briefly stops to give another nurse instructions before leaving to grab them all some food.

A few hours later Kondo wanders in followed by Hijikata. Kondo takes a seat beside Okita, who's alternating between staring at the wall blankly, staring at the door to Gintoki's room worriedly, and glancing at the two kids that were with the white-haired man to make sure they're fine. The two kids had fallen asleep shortly after having a snack brought by the nurse. Yamazaki sits on the other side of them waiting patiently for news. He is, perhaps surprisingly, invested in the welfare of the man who almost killed him. Kondo would worry about that but Yamazaki knows a lot of people and it was clear that the white-haired man wasn't thinking clearly at the time.

Kondo pulls out some forms that need to be filled out in regards to this incident. He doesn't wake the two kids though, as he doubts they will be much help with it. Sougo glances at him then flicks his eyes to the papers. Sighing he leans back and stares at Kondo.

"Think you can help me fill any of this out, Sougo?" Kondo asks gently. Okita nods and answers any questions he can, which aren't many. The man's name was Sakata Gintoki, he ran a business called Yorozuya Gin-chan. They did odd jobs, anything within reason as long as it paid. The kids only came on the jobs Gintoki thought they could handle. Sougo refuses to speak much more on it and settles back to stare at the wall again.

The doctor comes out a few hours after that, an older gentleman with greying hair. He looks exhausted. He looks towards the two kids, who have woken up at Sougo's nudge. Their eyes light-up in recognition at the ight of the doctor. They both open their mouths only to be gently cut off by the doctor, "You can go see him, but you need to be quite. He's going to be fine, but he needs to rest for now. Alright?" They nod and dart around the doctor and through the open door. The doctor watches them before turning back to the Shinsengumi members with a tired sigh. He eyes them warily. Kondo doesn't miss that he's between himself and Hijikata and the door to the room. The doctor glances at Okita and Yamazaki but doesn't seem to mind that they're there.

"I'm Takashi Dai, Sakata-san's primary doctor. Is there something I can help you with?" he says, pushing his glasses up and running a hand through his messy hair.

"How bad off is he really?" Sougo asks before any of the other's can get a word in.

Takashi-sensei hums, rocking back and forth on his heels. "He's not quite as worse off as I ever saw him. He was much worse a couple years ago when I first started treating him..." Takashi stares with narrow eyes at the Chief and vice-chief of the Shinsengumi. "Before I go any further, what is it exactly that you two are doing here?"

Kondo notes how he doesn't include Sougo or Yamazaki in that before answering carefully. "We found the three on a train the Shinsengumi were raiding for various illegal activities, including the trafficking of people and illegal goods. We're only here to ask a few questions pertaining to the traffickers, and to make sure the three are going to be alright, nothing else." Kondo's careful to be as honest as possible with the man.

Takashi stares at them for a long moment. "Alright. But you better not upset my patient, he really isn't doing so well." Takashi sighs again before leading them into the room. The two kids don't pay them any mind, sitting quietly on either side of the bed gently holding onto Gintoki's hands. Gintoki lies in the hospital bed, skin even more pale than Sougo is used to. There are dark bruises under his eyes and he looks to be in pain even as he sleeps. His arms lie over the heavy blankets that cover him and there are bandages wrapped around his forearms, biceps, and his right shoulder. His wrists are even more heavily bandaged. There's a bandage wrapped tightly around the silver-haired man's head and an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose; his short, pained breaths fogging it up. Gintoki's throat has been carefully wrapped as well. The man looks half dead laying in the bed, and you can't even see the damage of what's under the blanket.

Sougo stares for a good minute at the man. He had always seemed so strong, yet had been reduced to this within just over a day. It's unnerving. And uncomfortable. He looks back to the doctor, who answers his unasked question.

"Hmm, Sakata-san is exhausted, he probably won't be up for at least several hours. Normally, I'd say someone in his condition would be out for at least a day or longer, but I suppose you know how he is, Okita-kun?" Takashi-sensei asks with a tilt of his head and a faint smirk. Sougo nods, he's been acquainted with Takashi for a while now, having accompanied Gintoki to the hospital periodically since they'd met. Sometimes it had been for checkups, sometimes for fresh injuries, or when Sougo could prod the man into going to get an injury looked at. Takashi always cut most of Gintoki's bill, due to a previous incident that involved Takashi's family and Gintoki helping them out, in some way or another. Gintoki was always pathetically grateful, since he couldn't actually afford to pay the man, though he still felt rather guilty about not paying considering how many times he needed medical attention. Takashi would even drop by the Yorozuya Office if Gintoki hadn't been in for a while, so its not like the white-haired man could just _not _go to him.

"His left leg's fractured, along with several ribs, and there's a lot of deep bruising. There was a bit of internal bleeding, but that's under control now. There are a lot of lacerations over his arms and several stab wounds on his abdomen, but who ever got to him _did_ know what they were doing, very painful, but with some time those will make a full recovery. The lashes on his back are a bit trickier but they should be fine with time, and if he follows the stretches I'll be giving him. I am concerned about the water that was in his lungs, but that _should_ be fine. We're going to be watching that for the next 24 hours, however.

"I'm most concerned about the drug they gave him... well not so much that it's _in_ him, but that people can get a hold of it. We got a message about what it is and does from an.... anonymous source. It will probably leave him shaky for a week or two, but it should be out of his system in the next 48 hours. Which is why we're keeping him for the next 3 days. If there are no complications he'll be released from the hospital then, but will need to come in for some checkups." Takashi explained patiently, mostly to Okita, but he glanced at the other Shinsengumi members from time to time. Yamazaki had pulled out a note book and was writing everything down, which Takashi found kinda amusing as he was always subjected to Zenzo's musings about his maybe-student while he resided in the hospital.

"Well, that's good. I was afraid he'd be worse off than this, to be honest," a serious voice sounds from the doorway. Sougo and the others spin towards the voice, not having expected it. A man with fluffy brown hair, sunglasses, and a long red coat stands leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. A frown mars his face.

"Tatsuma!" Kagura calls suddenly throwing herself at the man, tears in her eyes. Tatsuma catches her and hauls the Yato child up into his arms, letting her bury her head in his shoulder as tears run down her cheeks.

"What are you doing here, Sakamoto-san?" Shinpachi asks from his place beside Gintoki. Gintoki stirs but doesn't wake at the sudden and loud commotion. Takashi briefly frowns disapprovingly at the noise, but doesn't actually say anything.

"Ah, Gin-chan set off a distress call. I've only been on planet for a couple hours. It took a little while to track you guys down," Tatsuma says, then holds out a wooden sword. Shinpachi darts over and carefully takes it before leaning it against the wall beside Gintoki's bed.

"When did he do that?" Shinpachi wonders aloud as he settles back at Gintoki's side. Tatsuma follows, Kagura having fallen asleep in his arms. He takes up the chair she had previously been in. Tatsuma looks exhausted, with dark rings under his eyes and his skin paler than usual.

"Ah-hahaha," Tatsuma laughs quietly, "I worry about him sometimes. He pretends not to see me leaving stuff at his place. I hid a device in the hilt of his sword, just in case, you know? It made me feel better, especially now that he has you two ta look after. I hoped it would make him feel a little safer too..." he quietly trails off. "Anyway! He activated it about two days ago. It took a while to get here..." Tatsuma gazes at Gintoki, his eyes trailing over his various injuries and the bags under his eyes. "Mitsu, my vice-captain, probably sent you the stuff about the drug. We've come across it before when one of our deals went south. She's very efficient about these things. Mitsu's the one that found out you guys were at the hospital. I had tracked down the train where the raid took place but... well it looked like you guy's weren't there anymore."

"You're a friend of danna's?" Sougo asks, curious.

Tatsuma turns toward him, glasses slipping down to reveal warm, gray-blue eyes. "Aa, we've know each other for years now, I met him when we were- around 15 I think? That sounds about right." Tatsuma smiles at the boy, Gintoki had mentioned him in one of the brief messages he sends to Tatsuma on occasion. He looks back over to Gintoki, he really doesn't look okay, though once the hospital clears him everything should be fine. He hasn't been sleeping right again, Tatsuma notes, the dark smudges under Gin's eyes were the kind you could only get after going weeks without enough sleep.

"Right then, that's about all I can tell you. Unfortunately, I have other patients to see to," Takashi says briskly, cutting through the silence that had fallen. "Sakamoto-san, if anything happens or he wakes up let one of the nurses know and ask them to come get me." Takashi nods to the people occupying the small hospital room before leaving, shutting the door quietly behind him. Hijikata stays where he is, leaning against the wall beside the door.

"Sougo, when did you meet Sakata-san?" Kondo asks turning to Sougo who had sat himself down on the bench under the window. He heads over and sits beside him, after glancing at Sakamoto sitting on the opposite side of the bed and Hijikata behind Sakamoto.

"Hm, oh... we met about two years ago." Sougo replies disinterested. He had pulled out his sword several minutes ago and stated running a whet stone over it, a soft _skrit_ sound filling the quiet room. There's an expectant silence in the room but Sougo either doesn't hear it or chooses to ignore it.

Kondo almost sighs. "How did you meet?" he asks instead. He wanted to know how Sougo had got caught up with such a dangerous guy. Not that Sougo wasn't dangerous himself, nor the people he worked with, but he worried sometimes. And Sakata was dangerous, more so then any single Shinsengumi member, and it had already been seen he gets into trouble easily.

Sougo looks up at the people in the room, his gaze slides over to danna lying in the hospital bed. He then stares blankly at the others, "Ah..."

\----

Sougo didn't usually get in over his head, and at age 12 he was already one of the best swordsmen in the Shinsengumi. Still, every once in a while he underestimated a situation, one in which he really should have brought - or sent for - back-up. Unfortunately, this was one of those times.

He had been quietly investigating an underground fighting ring, which he had discovered he couldn't touch due to the bakufu silently supporting them. The Shinsengumi had only been around for two years at this point and didn't have enough clout to intervene. So, he had instead started investigating some of the gangs that occasionally got involved with the ring. The gangs were arguably a bigger problem, anyway. Many of them had ties to terrorist cells and trafficking rings.

He had found some information to give to Kondo about a weapons drop that would happen soon at the docks that would include several of the gang leaders. Unfortunately, as Sougo had been about to leave he had been spotted by the guards. This wasn't a fight he could win. There were too many of them, including many high ranking members, and no one knew where he was or that he had been investigating them. He'd have to drop word to Yamazaki next time, in-case something like this came up again, then at least _someone_ would know where to come looking for him if he didn't make it back.

Which brings him to now, running through back allies in the Kabuki district. The alleys were unfamiliar, the Shinsengumi didn't often patrol this district. There was no point. At least half the population was probably involved or had been involved in crime of some sort. No one here was going to be ratting out someone else. No point making more enemies then they already had. That, and there was some sort of internal system in place that they haven't quite figured out yet. Yamazaki had mentioned the four divas that ruled here...

Anyway, getting out of the district before he got caught was ideal. He had already been somewhat injured, a shot through the leg making it harder to move quickly. After a few more turns as Sougo runs flat out down a long narrow alley he glimpses white and red out of the corner of his eye to his right. He doesn't slow even as he watches the men in another alley that crosses the one he's running down. They're the same people that were after him, they had cornered a young man, probably just out of his teens. The white haired youth was leaning with his back against the wall blood staining his clothes and dripping off his cheek. His head is down, curly hair shadowing his eyes, but there's the faintest smirk touching the corner of his mouth. The guy twitches toward the sound of Sougo running-

And then Sougo is past the alley, making a mad dash for the next district over. He kicks off the wall of an alley to throw himself down another to his left, so he can dodge the gang members that had emerged from an alley ahead of himself, and going in the opposite direction of the white-haired stranger. He takes another left starting to back track-

He trips over a heap of garbage and tumbles down a staircase into a small courtyard at the bottom. the two entrances to the sides are covered by multiple thugs and the ones chasing him are at the top of the staircase. He backs up, back hitting the wall behind him- his ankle is definitely twisted now- and uses the wall to lever himself back to his feet.

It's when the leader of the lot makes to move toward him that things get... strange. The white-haired youth from the other alley skids into view and makes a leap for a window sill positioned half way down the stairs. He doesn't make it. A garbage can gets thrown at him from a thug chasing him, it clips his shoulder sending him spinning into the head thug that had been about to threaten Sougo. They end up knocking into the other thugs on the stairs, and they all crash down into the courtyard.

Sougo stares at them. The other thugs stare at them. What even-?

The white-haired man has already rolled out of the dog pile and back onto his feet, facing the thrashing dog pile of gang members. He glances over his shoulder at Sougo, he has red coloured eyes. Not red like Sougo's own crimson eyes, but red like blood. The man turns back to the gang members, who are moving closer to them now. They're nervous Sougo thinks, then notices the bokken the other red-eyed man is holding, there's blood on the edge. Sougo tenses as the gang comes closer, looking for the best path out, and who he'd have to cut down to make a path - too many, but-

Before anyone can make another move the white haired man spins on his heel and darts beside Sougo, almost faster then Sougo can track. The man leaps forward and uses the wall as a foothold to push himself up to the roof. Sougo gets jerked along for the ride as the man snags the back of his shirt collar. He blinks as he's deposited on the roof beside the man. They're two stories above the others now. The silver-haired man laughs before walking away. Sougo scrambles up and follows him.

"You alright there, brat?" the man asks.

Sougo blinks before nodding, "What are you doing?"

"Hah! I'm not doing anything, I'm just going this way," he says walking off, then turning to look back at him again. "I'm Sakata Gintoki, I was looking for a lost cat."

"Okita Sougo, were you really looking for a cat?" he asks face blank as per usual, even as he limps along. He doesn't have any trouble keeping up with Gintoki, though he suspects that's at Gintoki's prerogative.

"Aa, an old lady hired me to find her cat. It was around here, then I ran into those guys. They didn't believe me when I said I was looking for a lost cat," the older man says, irritation briefly flickering over his features, before they fell back into apathy. "What's a brat like you doing around here anyway? Don't you know the back alleys of Kabuki district are dangerous if you don't know what you're doing?"

Okita just about snaps back at the man, he got injured too after all, but the underlying concern catches him off guard. "Hmm, you should be more carful too, mister," he says instead.

"Hah?! Don't lecture me, you brat! I get enough of that from the old lady. Come on, I got a doctor friend that'll help." He says before hoping down from the roof, and heading toward the edge of Kabuki district. Sougo follows, not having anything better to do really.

They end up scaling the hospital building to a second floor window, then making their way up to the third floor and slipping into an office. Gintoki throws a rather sheepish look at the doctor sitting at the desk going over paper work when the man looks up in surprise at their entrance.

"Sakata-san? What are you doing here?" he asks before noticing the blood staining the red-eyed man's side. He sighs, "You really get up to a lot of trouble, don't you? Well, don't just stand there come on in," he says leaving the room and going into an examination room adjacent to the office. He gives Sougo a brief glance over and frowns at him too, "You too." He demands flatly. "I'm Takashi Dai, you can tell me what kinda trouble you ran into while I fix you both up. It's bound to be interesting if Sakata-san's dragging you here."

\----

"We ran into each other after falling down a staircase," Sougo finally says, leaving Kondo and Hijikata gaping at him. Yamazaki looks like he _desperately_ wishes he didn't know the full story of what happened and Sakamoto looks plain amused. He probably knew there was a lot more to the story. Actually, he probably knows _exactly_ what happened. Gintoki's kids had both fallen asleep again, Kagura curled up next to Gintoki and Shinpachi in the chair and half slumped over the bed. Gintoki still looks to be in pain, but Sougo hopes the man will be up soon, he really wants to introduce him to Kondo properly.


	4. Live in the present, but it's good to remember how far you've come...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gintoki's in the hospital and Tatsuma's sticking around. Takashi doesn't quite make a proper appearance, but this isn't the first time he's met Gintoki.

Chapter 4

Gintoki blinks sluggishly, a quiet beeping in his ears. He glances to the side to see medical equipment and several wires and tubes leading over to him.

It takes a moment to remember why he was in the hospital and longer to figure out how he got there. He almost jerks upright but a moment later realizes that his kids are on either side of him. Kagura had crawled up onto the bed and was sleeping curled up next to him. Shinpachi was still on a chair but was leaned forward with his arms folded and head on the bed.

Gintoki takes a moment to breath. A small huff of laughter lets him know that Tatsuma had found his way to his hospital room as well. He turns his head to see the man sitting by the window, watching him fondly.

"... thanks for coming..." Gintoki murmurs, his throat hurts.

"Ah-hahaha," Tatsuma laughs quietly, "Of course, though I didn't end up doing much. The shinsengumi had already rescued you and had you brought to the hospital." He loses his smile as he continues, "though you were in pretty bad shape admittedly, the people that kidnapped you guy's drugged you. I was worried."

Gintoki blinks sluggishly, "Ah, well..." he trails off not really sure what to say.

"You should get some more rest. The shinsengumi are taking care of the drug, and I'll be sticking around for a while anyway. The police people will probably be back later to ask questions, so get some rest, yeah?" Tatsuma tells Gintoki as the man struggles to stay awake. "Takashi's orders." Tatsuma tacks on.

"Hmmm, sp'ose I... should..." the white-haired man slurs as he falls back to sleep. Takashi always did help when he could, even someone as stubborn as Gintoki would sometimes listen, he was too indebted to the man to not to. Though, Gintoki doesn't quite remember the first time he met Takashi, at the time he had a fever running high and was too exhausted to stay awake…

\-----

Gintoki wanders into town after weeks of travel. Exhaustion is dragging at his limbs, and hunger gnaws at him. It's easy enough to push away, the guilt after all is drowning him.

He pulls the scarf an old lady gave him a couple towns back tighter around his neck. she had pegged him as one of those who fought in the war, saying she didn't care what side he was on. Gintoki had forgotten that there were people like that in this world. People like Sho-

Gintoki shudders, flashes of fire and blood filling his vision. He wrenches himself from the memory when he trips over the debris in the ally. It takes more effort than he would like to admit to get back to his feet. He stumbles on deeper into the town.

Unfortunately for him he couldn't avoid all the citizens forever. Every once in a while he stumbles upon people passed out from drinking or hunger, leaning against the sides of the allies. Sometimes he passes by those having quite conversations. He blocks out the sound of anyone else and ducks his head low so as not to draw any attention. He blends in easily enough with his worn clothing.

Gintoki focuses on putting one step in front of the other. Tries not to flinch at too quick movement or the flash of light off metal. Tries not to see the last moments of the war.

It's past midnight when he finally can't ignore one of the conversations he's passing by.

There's a man in an alley talking to a few Hitotsubashi members. He mentions the Joui. Gintoki closes his eyes and knows he can't walk away this time.

When he hears the man say "I'll give up the rest the Joui member locations! I'll even give you my daughter!" Gintoki throws himself forward with as much force as he can muster. He shoulder-checks the traitor hard enough to put him through a wall.

"'Who am I?' you may ask," Gintoki says in monotone, "I am this man's daughter." He takes a breath, then says quietly, "I don't recall ever fighting you Hitotsubashi. But you can have my, the Shiroyasha, and this idiot's head."

The Hitotsubashi's eyes widen and they grab for their swords. There had been rumors that one the High Generals of the Joui war was in the area. Gintoki doesn't move. Instead he says quietly, "In return, don't go after the others anymore." Gintoki is tired.

The Hitotsubashi members exchange looks. The leader nods sharply, and commands, "On your knees." Gintoki complies. One of the Hitotsubashi goes to dig the man Gintoki KO’d out of the rubble. Gintoki stays put.

The other two grab his arms and quickly bind his wrists behind him. Gintoki lets them tug him to his feet and lets them lead him away.

Over the next few days, he's forced to stay on his knees as they beat him. They try to pry information about the other Joui four out of him. It doesn't work, not that Gintoki really knew anything about what happened to them after they separated. It continues, until one day the Ikeda Yaemon, Ikeda Daijukada, steps in preventing them from causing any more bodily harm. Instead Gintoki's dragged back to his cell and left alone.

Days later Gintoki sits at the back of his cell awaiting execution. He couldn't escape if he wanted to. His body in too much pain to even move and his mind too exhausted to think.

While he's sitting there a young girl comes up to the bars of his cell. "Say, why have you been locked up here? Did you do something bad?" the young silver haired girl asks.

"Yeah. I've done loads of things that'd make you piss your pants," Gintoki replies, "so I gotta lose my head."

"Really?" the little girl asks skeptically.

"Yeah." Gintoki answers. He pauses then says, "Get lost. You're annoying me, you damn pipsqueak." He half-heartedly tries to get the little girl to leave, it doesn't work.

"But, the executioner was saying you weren't really a bad guy," the girl refutes. "That all you did was protect a poor little girl." Gintoki blinks at that, but... ah, this must be the daughter the traitor tried to give to the Hitotsubashi. That's... good, at least she seems to be safe. "But now you... it's so sad. Oh! I know! One day, when I become a great executioner, I'll take your head for you." the girl continues brightly.

"Seriously?" Gintoki asks tiredly, incredulously.

"Yep! I'll cut it nice and good, so it doesn't hurt. I'll send you to heaven in peace! So promise me. Until I become a great executioner, you can't die, okay!" she requests, cheerfully. Gintoki's mouth parts slightly in shock. He gathers himself.

"That so?" Gintoki says gently, a small smile tugging at his lips. "In peace, huh? sounds good. Okay, I promise." He leans his head back against the wall. "send me off in peace, okay?" The little girl smiles happily, nodding. she stays only long enough to say goodbye before cheerily walking away.

The next day Ikeda Daijuroku sits himself down in front of his cell, back towards him. Gintoki makes his way slowly and painfully to his feet, then shuffles over to drop down with his own back to the bar. They stay like that for a few silent minutes.

"When people sin and degenerate into demons, the only beings capable of turning them human again are humans. That's why I have no right to cut you." Daijuroku explains. "A demon has no right to cut a fellow demon." He opens the cell door. "You promised, did you not?"

Gintoki limps out of his cell warily. He eyes the executioner. Daijuroku waited patiently for the young man to step out of the cell. He had gone over the same scenario with multiple people that he had let free. The families of those who participated in the Battle of Anekohara did not deserve death. This man may have participated in the Joui war, but he was a good man. And besides as he said... a demon had no right to cut a fellow demon.

It takes a while for the weakened, red-eyed man to make his way through the halls to the complex's door. Daijuroku doesn't offer help that would likely be unwanted. He gives Sakata a change of clothes that he quickly changes into.

Daijuroku watches as the man stumbles way, eventually having to use the wall to keep upright. This is as much as he could do though, so he turns away hoping that the kid will live to see the next sunrise.

Gintoki keeps stumbling along deeper into the city away from the Ikeda clan complex. Even when all he wants to do is lay down and sleep, he keeps going for hours. If he slept now, he wouldn't be waking up again.

Gintoki walks until he can't walk any more. He finds himself in a graveyard. He stumbles along until his legs give out and then he drags himself behind one of the grave markers, hidden away from anyone who would walk by.

Red-eyes close and a white-haired head drops to his chest. He'll just... rest his eyes for a... moment. He just needs... a few minutes... just a... few...

Gintoki wakes to the sounds of an old women talking to the headstone he's resting against. There's snow piled on his head and shoulders. He curls his fingers and pain shoots up his arms. Blinking Gintoki sees that his lap is buried in snow along with his hands.

He focuses on what the old women is doing instead to take his mind off the fact he probably can't get up on his own. He can faintly smell whatever she placed as an offering. Before he can think better of it he's already speaking.

"Hey Granny... Are those Manju? Can I have some? I'm starving to death here." Gintoki asks. There's a pause but Gintoki doesn't really think she'll answer anyway.

"Those belong to my husband," the woman replies, surprising him. "Ask him..."

Gintoki blinks tiredly at that. then he reaches around the headstone and picks one up, he shoves it in his mouth, he really is starving, it's not like they were gonna waste food on him. The old lady doesn't say anything while he eats.

"What did my husband say to you?" she finally asks.

"Beats me. The dead don’t talk." Gintoki says.

"You're just asking for it. Don't blame me if you get cursed." the woman says, annoyed. He wonders what she thought he would say.

"The dead don't talk and they don't eat dango," Gintoki says flatly, "So I made a one-sided promise. I won't forget this dept. You're wife doesn't have that much longer to live, but I'm going to protect her in your stead." Gintoki promises.

When they leave the graveyard Otose has to help the kid up, his joints painful to bend and his muscles slow to move. It's unlikely that he would have made it through the night.

Once he's upright Otose takes a step back. She watches for a moment as Gintoki finds his balance, one arm curling around his ribs protectively. Otose doesn't say anything, deciding to wait till they get back to the bar before addressing it. Instead she turns and starts to lead him back to her bar.

It takes a long time. The kid stumbles along behind her, often catching himself on whatever's close at hand to keep himself upright.

"It's just a bit further." Otose tries to encourage him whenever he stops for more than a few moments. The kid always nods tiredly and starts to follow again. Otose almost sighs in relief when they reach her 'Snack O'tose'. She barely gets him into one of her back rooms before he collapses.

Otose quickly crouches beside him. His eyes slide open before she can touch him. He watches her tiredly. Otose gets up and grabs one of her extra futons from the closet, unfolding it on the floor. Then she tugs at the starving youth until he helps her get himself onto the futon with a blanket tugged over him.

Otose bustles into her kitchen and sets the kettle on so she can make her guest some broth. While that's happening, she goes and grabs a space heater from her storage room.

Making her way back to the room she put the kid in she can already hear harsh coughing coming from it. With a sigh she walks in to see Gintoki on his side trying to muffle the sound. Otose doesn't comment as she sets up the space heater and continues to ignore his eyes on her. Eventually the fit settles down and he lays on his side, panting.

The kid's lips are still tinged blue and so are his fingers. His toes too, she bets, though she can't see them tucked into the blanket. At least he's starting to shiver again.

She leaves him again to go make the broth. When she comes back, she kneels beside him and puts the cup down. The Kid eyes her warily.

"I'm going to help you sit up. You need to drink as much of this as you can. You're going to need energy to fight off the sickness setting in. Don't make yourself sick but try to finish the cup." she explains helping to tug him a bit more up right. Gintoki gets an elbow under himself so that he's proped up but his hands shake too much to be able to hold the cup. Otose holds it to his lips for him while he slowly drinks from it.

He manages to drink three fourths of it before he gently pushes her arm away and collapses back onto the futon.

Otose goes about her business after that. Though she checks in on him every once in a while. She doesn't touch Gintoki when he tosses and turns during a nightmare. Instead she calls his name to wake him.

She opens her bar the next day as usual, leaving the kid with food and water, and checks in on him periodically. And she waits.

When Gintoki doesn't seem to be improving after several days, Otose makes up her mind to get an actual doctor to look at him. There's a young doctor that drops by Kabuki-cho every few weeks, so Otose makes a note to flag him down. She knows people are looking for her kid, but when they stop by her shop she just tells them to move along. They don't end up searching Kabuki-cho for very long.

Takashi Dai shows up less than two weeks after Otose meets the kid in the graveyard. He comes to shop quietly, in the early hours of the morning before even the earliest risers start to get up. The city is dark and few roams the streets by then.

"Hello, Otose-san," Takashi greets. He watches her, seeing the subdued aura around her. "You have a patient for me?" he asks quietly.

Otose nods. "Yes, this way," she says with a tilt of her head as she leads Takashi around the counter to the back room Gintoki is in.

She doesn't stay to watch instead Otose goes back to the bar, continuing to tidy it up after the night's activities. Takashi slides onto a bar stool roughly half an hour later.

"It's not great news, Otose." He starts. Otose lights up a cigarette. "But it's not terrible either. He's starving and dehydrated but with some care he should recover easily enough. The wounds are a bit more concerning. You know what caused them, don't you?"

Otose watches the young man silently, unwaveringly. "I have a good guess," she concedes when he doesn't drop her gaze.

It's enough for Takashi. He nods sharply, "Just something to keep in mind. Keep the bandages clean and dry. I'm going to leave you with some medicine for the infection, make sure he takes it. If it gets worse send a runner down to the hospital and I'll come. I'll be back in two weeks, so I'll check in on him then."

Takashi stands up and turns towards the door. A soft thump and the clinking of loose coins sounds behind him. He turns back frowning. "You know I don't charge for any services in this district," he says.

"I know. You always say that when someone offers to pay you. This is a collection the citizens donate to when they can. It's yours, not like I can give it back to anyone, seeing as we don't keep track of who gives what." Otose says, smirking.

"Alright, Otose. You win." Takashi says exasperated, picking up the bag of coins. It was a long running argument.

"Medicine is expensive, Takashi. Those of Kabuki-cho know that. You can't be making that much at the hospital; you only have a part-time position there. Let us pay what we can, we're a stubborn folk."

"Heh, I'll see you in two weeks, Otose." Takashi says, heading for the door. Before he leaves though, he pauses, watching the dark street. "... Thanks..." he tells her quietly before taking his leave.

"Heh." Otose takes a drag from her cigarette. She breaths out eyeing the smoke with a smirk. "Young people these days."

It takes a few days longer for Gintoki's fever to break and longer still until he's able to stay awake for a majority of the day. By the time Takashi comes back he's doing much better, even with the wounds still healing.


End file.
